In the heart of the Swiss Alps, at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Mark Carney articulated a compelling vision for Canada’s role on the international stage. His pronouncement that "Canada has what the world wants" underscored a strategic pivot, highlighting the nation’s potent arsenal of energy, capital, and critical minerals as key assets for shaping a new global order. However, a crucial dimension was implicitly present, a powerful engine of innovation and influence that deserves explicit recognition: Canada’s burgeoning science and technology prowess. This intellectual capital, increasingly intertwined with economic sovereignty, industrial capacity, and national security, is no longer merely a source of "soft power" but a critical determinant of geopolitical relevance and global leadership.
The World Economic Forum, a recurring fixture in global economic and political discourse, convenes world leaders, business executives, and intellectuals to address the most pressing challenges facing humanity. The 2026 gathering, held from January 20th to 24th, took place against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions, persistent economic uncertainties, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. It was within this complex milieu that Prime Minister Carney’s address resonated, emphasizing Canada’s preparedness to contribute substantively to global solutions. His reference to the foundational "legs of the figurative table" – economic sovereignty, industrial capacity, and national security – implicitly acknowledged that these pillars are increasingly reliant on a nation’s ability to harness and deploy its research and innovation ecosystems.
Canada’s commitment to scientific advancement is not a nascent endeavor. For years, the nation has consistently ranked among the global leaders in the volume of highly cited scientific publications, a testament to the quality of its research output. Furthermore, Canadian research institutions have proven adept at attracting top-tier talent from around the globe, fostering an environment of intellectual exchange and discovery. While historically such achievements might have been primarily categorized as "soft power" – the ability to attract and persuade through cultural appeal and values, as defined by Joseph Nye – this characterization is becoming increasingly insufficient in the current geopolitical climate. The very definition of power is evolving, with technological sovereignty and the capacity to innovate becoming as crucial as traditional military or economic might.
The implications of this shift are profound. In an era characterized by intense scientific and technological competition, a nation’s ability to maintain technological sovereignty – its independence in developing and controlling critical technologies – is paramount. This involves not only fostering an environment conducive to groundbreaking research but also ensuring that discoveries can be translated into tangible industrial capabilities and that the nation can actively participate in and influence the setting of international standards and norms. Therefore, science, technology, and innovation must be recognized as indispensable pillars of Canada’s foreign policy, moving beyond their perceived role as mere diplomatic niceties or instruments of cultural exchange.
Quebec’s Pioneering Role in Science Diplomacy
Within Canada, the province of Quebec has demonstrated a prescient understanding of the strategic importance of science and technology. Recognizing that research ecosystems can be leveraged as powerful international assets, Quebec has proactively implemented initiatives designed to cultivate robust science diplomacy. These efforts aim to forge and strengthen connections between Quebec and leading global scientific and technological hubs, fostering collaboration and mutual understanding.
A notable example of this commitment is Quebec’s establishment of a network of science and innovation attachés stationed in key international locations. These attachés serve as crucial conduits, facilitating dialogue, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and promoting Quebec’s scientific expertise on the global stage. Complementing this, the province has also launched a network of science diplomacy research chairs, supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec. This initiative aims to build academic capacity in the field of science diplomacy, fostering a deeper understanding of its complexities and enhancing its strategic application.
While these initiatives represent significant progress, the landscape of science diplomacy in Quebec, and indeed across Canada, is not without its challenges. The provincial science diplomacy portfolio, for instance, is currently distributed across various ministries and agencies, potentially leading to fragmentation and a lack of cohesive strategy. Furthermore, the impetus for some of these efforts has often stemmed from the leadership of individual champions, such as Quebec’s outgoing chief scientist, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability and consistent support for these crucial programs.
A further area for development lies in the broader mobilization of research actors. While existing initiatives are valuable, a more concerted effort is needed to engage a wider spectrum of researchers and institutions in Quebec’s science diplomacy vision and agenda. At a time of escalating global competition in science and technology, this represents a significant missed opportunity. By more effectively integrating the insights and capabilities of its research community, Quebec could amplify its influence and solidify its position as a global player in innovation.
Navigating a Fragmented Global Landscape
Recent global developments have unequivocally demonstrated that science and technology are not only instruments of progress but also significant focal points of geopolitical competition. The imposition of export controls on advanced artificial intelligence chips, essential for cutting-edge AI development, and the increasing emphasis on "research security" – safeguarding sensitive research from foreign interference and misuse – highlight the growing entanglement of scientific activity with the intricate web of international politics. This evolving landscape necessitates a recalibrated approach to international scientific engagement.
This does not, however, signal an abandonment of international scientific collaboration. On the contrary, cooperation remains an indispensable tool for addressing humanity’s most pressing global challenges, from the existential threat of climate change to the complex ethical and safety considerations surrounding artificial intelligence. The International Science Council, in a recent statement, underscored that "international scientific collaboration is vital yet vulnerable," emphasizing the need for policies that protect and promote this crucial endeavor.
The challenge, therefore, lies in navigating a reality where collaboration and competition coexist. Policymakers in Quebec and across Canada must meticulously consider how their scientific and technological strengths can be strategically deployed to inform and bolster a foreign policy capable of effectively navigating an increasingly fragmented world. The objective should not be to narrowly instrumentalize science for fleeting geopolitical advantages. Instead, the aim should be to integrate science and technology into a foreign policy framework that is both fundamentally value-driven and strategically astute, upholding democratic principles while advancing national interests.
Such a strategic integration offers multifaceted benefits. It would empower federal and provincial governments to leverage their scientific and technological assets more effectively in international relations. For research actors, it would provide greater opportunities to shape global governance frameworks, identify emerging vulnerabilities within scientific supply chains, and secure enhanced access to international funding streams. While some may argue that such policy engagement risks compromising the perceived apolitical nature of science, the reality is that in an era where technological advancements are profoundly reshaping global governance, science cannot afford to remain isolated from the broader political and societal context in which it operates.
Science as a Catalyst for Strategic Influence
Scientific capability, in its multifaceted forms, is increasingly generating three distinct types of strategic influence: knowledge power, technology power, and network power. Knowledge power refers to a nation’s capacity to produce frontier research and push the boundaries of human understanding. Technology power encompasses the ability to translate scientific discoveries into tangible technological and industrial capabilities, fostering economic growth and national security. Network power relates to a nation’s ability to shape international research collaborations, influence the development of global standards, and build influential research communities.
For Canada to truly harness its scientific and technological strengths as pillars of its foreign policy, it must transcend the traditional view of science as solely a source of "soft power." The nation’s advancements in artificial intelligence offer a compelling case study of what is possible. The establishment of three national AI research institutes – Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute), Mila (Quebec AI Institute), and the Vector Institute – alongside the Canadian AI Safety Institute, which includes a dedicated research program at CIFAR (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research), has significantly amplified the impact and reach of Canadian AI research on the global stage. These initiatives have not only fostered groundbreaking research but have also created vital networks and contributed to the development of AI safety standards.
Canada already possesses a formidable research capacity and extensive global networks. The critical challenge lies in effectively translating these assets into tangible strategic influence. This requires a more deliberate and cohesive alignment between research, innovation, and foreign policy. Achieving this alignment necessitates striking a delicate balance: advancing science and technology for the global public good while simultaneously leveraging their strategic importance within a competitive geopolitical environment.
To facilitate this crucial balancing act, several strategic avenues can be explored. Firstly, Canada needs to strengthen its capacity to translate research excellence into technological leadership. This involves fostering closer ties between academia, industry, and government to accelerate the commercialization of innovative technologies and to build robust domestic supply chains for critical scientific inputs.
Secondly, Canada should actively cultivate its network power by playing a more assertive role in shaping international research agendas and standards. This includes actively participating in and leading international collaborations, advocating for open science principles while safeguarding sensitive research, and contributing to the development of global norms and regulations in emerging technological fields.
Thirdly, Canada must enhance its ability to communicate the strategic value of its scientific and technological contributions to both domestic and international audiences. This involves clearly articulating how investments in research and innovation contribute to economic prosperity, national security, and the ability to address global challenges, thereby building broader support for science-driven foreign policy.
By embracing this comprehensive approach, Canada can move beyond simply possessing valuable scientific and technological assets to strategically wielding them as instruments of influence in a complex and evolving global landscape. This strategic integration will not only bolster Canada’s standing on the world stage but also empower its researchers and innovators to contribute more meaningfully to global progress and security. The commitment to science as a foreign policy imperative is not just an option; it is a necessity for Canada’s continued relevance and prosperity in the 21st century.
